RII-2502, CHEMICAL MINES

File: 961031_950825_030pgv_91d.txt
Page: 91d
Total Pages: 1
RII-2502, CHEMICAL MINES

Filename:030pgv.91d

FROM:  DIA
VIA:
TO:  [    b.2.    ]

SUBJ:  RII-2502, CHEMICAL MINES

1.  REQUEST INFORMATION CONCERNING MINES IN AND AROUND KUWAIT 
CITY.  HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONFIRMED REPORTS?  WHERE ARE THEY 
LOCATED?  WHAT TYPE ARE THEY?  HOW MANY ARE EMPLOYED AT EACH 
LOCATION?
2.  DIA HAS RECEIVED VERY LIMITED REPORTING ON THE PRESENCE OF 
CHEMICAL MINES IN THE IRAQI INVENTORY.  A RECENT AND UNVERIFIED 
REPORT DESCRIBED IN IRAQI CHEMICAL LANDMINE.  THE IRAQIS 
REPORTEDLY MODIFIED A U.S. MANUFACTURED M21 ANTITANK MINE.  THIS 
IS GREY IN COLOR WITH YELLOW STRIPES ON TOP, MIDDLE AND BOTTOM OF 
THE MINE IN PARALLEL CONFIGURATION.  THE MODIFICATION CONSISTED OF 
AN ADDITIONAL OPENING IN THE TOP, SIMILAR TO THE FUZE WELL, WHICH 
WAS SEALED WITH A PLASTIC FILLER PLUG OR SCREW.  ON TOP WAS AN 
OVAL SHAPED BUTTON USED TO UNSCREW THE FILLER PLUG/SCREW.  NO 
INFORMATION WAS GIVEN AS TO THE CHEMICALS CONTAINED IN THE 
LANDMINE.

3.  WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON HOW MANY CHEMICAL MINES IRAQ HAS.  
WE ASSESS THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE FILLED WITH MUSTARD AGENT.  
WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON MINE COUNTERMEASURES, OR HOW THEY WOULD 
BE DISARMED.

4.  ANOTHER TYPE OF CHEMICAL "MINE" IN KUWAIT CITY HAS BEEN 
DESCRIBED BY SEVERAL SOURCES.  THIS IS A MINE IN THE HISTORICAL 
SENSE, AND IS PERHAPS BETTER DESCRIBED AS A CHEMICAL "AMBUSH".  
THESE CHEMICAL AMBUSHES CONSIST OF SMALL BUNKER TYPE STRUCTURES, 
OFTEN IN A HORSESHOE SHAPE, WHICH HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY BACKFILLED 
WITH EARTH AND INTO WHICH CONTAINERS WHICH APPEAR TO CONTAIN 
CHEMICAL AGENTS HAVE BEEN PLACED.  AMBUSHES DESCRIBED MAY CONTAIN 
APPROXIMATELY 20 GALLONS OF TWO POTENTIAL AGENTS,  PRESUMABLY 
MUSTARD AND NON-PERSISTENT NERVE AGENTS.  THERE IS ALSO A 
POSSIBILITY THAT SOME OF THESE AMBUSHES MAY CONTAIN A FUEL-AIR 
EXPLOSIVE CHARGE, WHICH COULD BE USED TO DETONATE THE BUNKER AND 
CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.  NO INFORMATION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON 
HOW THE DETONATION WOULD BE INITIATEDOR CONTROLLED.  A CHEMICAL 
AMBUSH SUCH AS THIS COULD BE USED TO CREATE  BOTH A LOCAL AND 
PERSISTENT HAZARD IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, AND A VAPOR HAZARD IN THE 
DOWNWIND AREA.  TWO OF THESE BUNKERS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ALONG GULF 
STREET IN KUWAIT CITY, ONE NEAR THE U.S. EMBASSY AND ONE AT A 
PUBLIC BATH.  THERE ARE BELIEVED TO BE SEVERAL OTHERS AT UNKNOWN 
LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.